Launching-tube.



H. w. SHGNISIAIID.

LAUNCHING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED A116130. I91'1.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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H. wf SHONNARD. LAUNCHING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED yAUG.30. 19H1 Patented Mar. 4,19%).

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INVENTOFI HAROLD W. SHONNARD, OF UPPER MON TCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR `TO CRUCIBLE STEEL COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, V.A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LAUNCHING-TUBE.

Application filed August 30, 1917.

T0 all wlw/m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HAROLD IV. SHON- NARD, residing at Upper Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Launching-Tubes, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In my United States Letters Patent No. 1,163,607 I have disclosed mechanism Afor carrying an electric circuit through the walls of an automobile torpedo and launching tube to an electric motor gyroscope within the torpedo, and' for making and breaking such circuit. It is the object of Vmy present invention, which relates to the same general subject matter, vto improve the circuit making and controlling mechanism of the launching tube. A more specific object is to provide a launching tube with a single unit for controlling the electric circuit and for unlocking the gyroscope simultaneously with the breaking of the circuit.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, which form part of my specification, the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated. Figure l is a central longitudinal sectional view of the circuit controlling mechanism, and a transverse sectional view of a portion of a launching tube and torpedo therein; Fig. 2 an' end view of the circuit controlling mechanism; Fig. 3 a scctioual view taken on the line III-III, Fig. l; Fig. 4 a face view of a detail taken on the general plane indicated by the line IV-IV, Fig. l; Fig. 5 a sectional view taken on the line V-V, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 a sectional view taken on the line VI-VI, Fig. 5.

In the practice of m'y invention in its preferred form, a launching tube is provided with an opening through its wall and within this opening there is mounted for reciprocatory movement a circuitv controller held yieldingly" outwardly with respect to the interior ofthe launching tube. Means are provided for movingsuch controller inwardly to close a circuit through the wall of a torpedo within the launching tube and to hold the controller in this position. Two means are provided to release the controller so that it may move outwardly to break Athis circuit, one of such means being manually operable, and the other being power con- Specication of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 188,956.

trolled, the purpose of the double releasing means being explained hereinafter. Cordinated with the controller and preferably carried thereby, means are provided to move a member, borne by and operable from the exterior of a torpedo, for unlocking the torpedo gyroscope simultaneously with the breaking of the circuit through it. i

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention the circuit controller is shown in its adaptation to a launching tube of standard and well known construction, and which has two walls 1 forming between them a chamber for an auxiliary supply of compressed air for launching purposes. Within the tube there is, as shown in Fig. l, a section of the hull of the torpedo 2 having an opening therethrough closed by means of a plate 3, which plate carries exteriorly exposed electric contactors t. While but a single contactor appears in the sectional view of Fig. l, it is preferred to provide three contactors for closing a three-phase circuit through the wall of the torpedo.

Within suitable registering openingsprovided in the side walls l of the launching tube, there is placed a tubular casing 5 adapted to be attached to the outer wall of the launching tube as by means of bolts 6, suitable gaskets 7 being provided to prevent the leakage of air from the chamber formed between the walls of the launching tube.- A circ-uit controlling member comprising, in part, a cylinder 8 is mounted for reclprocatory movement within the casing 5.

The inner end of the cylinder 8 is provided with a plate 9 in which there are mounted spring-pressed contactors 10 adapted to register with contactors 4 of the torpedo. rIhe contactors 10 are electrically connected to .conductors 11 which lead inwardly through theouter end of the casing 5. As will vbe seen, the plate 9 is provided' with aY gasket Vl0 for the purpose of making a water tight connection between such platel and the closure plate 3 of the torpedo. V

e For the purpose of yieldingly holding the movable circuit controller normally in its outward open-circuit position, there is pro- Y `vided a spring 12, acting between the controllerand the casing 5, and to move such controller to its inward closed-circuit position against the resistance of the spring l2, a rack-and-pinion Ymechanism is preferably p Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

' cured a rack, preferably in the form of a Aextended portion of its curved face.

sleeve, while longitudinally immovable with sleeve 13 having rack teeth formed on an This relation to thc casing, is rotatably mounted therein, and is provided with a handle 14 for turning it. Adjacent to the sleeve 13, and preferably in the form of a second sleeve 15 telescoping with the outer face of the first mentionedY sleeve, there is a Vframe attached at its inner end to a transverse plate 16 secured within the cylinder 8; and to this plate 16 there is also attached a rod or bolt 17. One end of the bolt extends within the sleeve 13, and is pressed outwardly (that is to the right as viewed in Fig. 1) by means of the spring 12, which exerts its tension at one end upon a flange or nut 18 at the outer end of the bolt, and at its other end upon a flange 49 formed on the inner end of the rotatable but longitudinally immovable sleeve 13.

The pinion mechanism for engaging the rack face of the sleeve 13 is carried by the sleeve or frame 15, and preferably comprises a rotatable shaft 19 slidably mounted in the outer end of the casing 5, and provided at its outer end with a crank arm 20. At its inner end the shaft is provided with a bevel pinion 21 adapted to mesh with a second pin-V ion 22 secured to a rotatably mounted shaft 23, which shaft in turn has attached thereto a pinion 24 meshing with theA rack teeth of sleeve 13. 'By turning the crank arm 20 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the pinion 24 will, through pinions 21 and 22 and shaft 23, be turned to causethe frame 15 to move inwardly. This movement of the frame also causes an inward ,movement of the other parts of the circuit controller, the* same including the cylinder 8 and the bolt 17, the spring 12 being compressed, by this movement of the controller, between flange 19 of VsleeveV 13 and the flange or nut 18 at l'the outer end of the bolt 17.

' To holdV the Vcircuit controller in its inward position, lI preferably provide a springpressed latch or pawl 25 pivotally mounted on the frame 15 and adapted to engage a suitable detent 26 formed upon or`secured tothe side of the rotatable sleeve 13.

Thus, when the circuit controlleris moved inwardly to it-s proper position, the latch v25 will 'snap behind the detent 26 and hold the circuit controller in such position, itrbeingV above-mentioned application.

A4 second and power-operated means for releasing the latch 25 is provided, the same preferablycomprising, as shown in Fig. 5, a rod 28, providedrwith a dog 29 adapted, on the inward movement of the rod, to press against and move the rear end of the latch tok release its locking end from the detent 26. The power for thus moving the rod 28 is preferably compressed air led to the casing through a conduit 30, and thence through a central opening 31 formed in the rod 28 to 'a cylinder 32. AWithin this cylinder the rod is provided with a piston 33 ported to permit the air to flow to the right side Vthereof as viewed in Fig.V 1, so that the rod will be moved inwardly to cause the dog 29 to release the latch. The flow of air for thus removing the latch-releasing rod may be controlled in any desired manner, either coordinated with or independently of the torpedo-aiming or launching mechanism.

The circuit controller is, in addition to the contactors V10, also provided with a movable member for unlocking the gyroscope within the torpedo. In my co-pending application, Serial No. 188,955, filed of even date herewith, I have disclosed mechanism for unlocking the gyroscope, such mechanism being adaptedV to be set in operation by pressing inwardly-of the torpedo a button .extending throughthe wall thereof. The

V34. The member borne by the circuit controllerfor thus unlocking or releasing the gyroscope is preferably a spring-pressed rod 35, mounted for longitudinal movementin the plate'9, and adapted to bear at its outer endV aga-inst the inner end of the rod 28.. By such construction, when the rod 28 is moved inwardly to YreleaseY the latch, it simultaneously moves the rod 35, which rod in turn presses inwardly the button 34 to unlockrthe gyroscope in the manner explained .in my In the operation of myiinvention, itbeing assumed that a torpedo vhas been placed within theV launching tube, the circuit controller is moved inwardly; aga'instthe resistance ofthe spring 12 and to Vclose the cir cuitthroughV the torpedo `contactors 4, by-

means of the rotation of the crank arm 20. In a manner already explained, the rotation of this arm effects the rotation of the pinion 24 which causes the controller to move inwardly and simultaneously compresses the spring 12. When the controller is in the proper position to close the circuit, the latch 25 snaps behind the detent 26 to hold the controller in such position. If, with the parts in this position, it is desirable to test the mechanism to see whether the controller will move rearwardly under' the tensiony of the spring 12, the sleeve 13 may be turned to release the latch 25, it being understood that the outward movement of the controller may thus be effected without moving the gyroscope releasing rod 35. In the outward position of the controller, the operation of the latch and gyroscope releasing rod may be tested by causing compressed air to flow l through the tubular rod 28, it being understood that, in such position of the controller, the gyroscope releaser 35 will be beyond the range of engagement of the button 34. When, in actual practice, it is desired to break the circuit through the wall of the torpedo without simultaneously unlocking thel gyroscope, the latch may be released in the manner just explained, the gyroscope being subsequently unlocked, as by means of the starting latch shown and described in my above mentioned application.

In the complete operation vof the entire mechanism, the controller is first moved inwardly in the manner already described. When it is desired to break the circuit through the torpedo and to simultaneously unlock the gyroscope, air is caused to flow through the pipe 30 and rod 28 to the cylinder 32, where it acts on the right side of the piston 33 to move the rod 28 inwardly. This movement of the rod simultaneously releases the latch 25 and presses inwardly the gyroscope releaser 35, the controller being quickly moved rearwardly under the action of the spring 12. It will be understood, however, that the use of the gyroscope releaser 35 and the coperating button 34 for unlocking` the gyroscope may be dispensed with and the gyroscope unlocked by the launching movement of the torpedo as shown and described in my above-mentioned co--pending application Serial No. 188,955.

According to the provisions of the patent statute-s, I have described the principle andr operation of my invention together with the mechanism which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, my invention may be practised by other forms of mechanism than that specifically shown and-described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a member movable through the wall thereof and provided with a contactor for closing an electrical circuit through the wall of a torpedo, and

means cordinated with said member for moving a gyroscope lock-controlling member of a torpedo. y Y

2. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a reciprocatory member in the wall thereof provided with a contacter for closing an electric circuit through the wall of a torpedo, and means carried by said member and movable with relation thereto for moving a gyroscope-controlling member of a torpedo.

3. The combination with a launching tub for automobile torpedoes, of an electric circuit-controlling member movable through the wall thereof, a spring exerting its tension to hold said member inits outward open-circuit position, and releasable means for holding said member in its inward circuit-closing position.

4;. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit-controlling member movable through the wall thereof, a spring exerting its tension to hold said member `in its outward open-circuit position, a latch for holding said member iny its inward circuit-closing position, and

means for releasing said latch.

5. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit controlling member movable through the wall thereof, a spring exerting its tension to hold said member in itsv outwardy open-circuit position, a spring-pressed latch for holding said member in its inward circuit-closing position, and twomeans for releasing said latch, one means being power controlled and the other being manually operable.

G. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit-controlling member movable through the wall thereof, yielding means'acting upon said member to hold it in its outward open-circuit position, and rack-and-pinion connections forV moving said member to its inward circuit-closing position against the action of said yielding means. l

7. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit controlling member movable through the wall thereof, a spring exerting its tension to hold said member in its outward open-circuit position, rack-and-pinion connections for moving the latter to its inward position, and a ieleasable latch to hold said member in such position.

9. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit controlling member movable through the wall thereof, yielding means acting upon said member to hold it normally in outward position, a releasable lock for holding said member in its inward position against the action of said yielding means, means borne by said movable member for moving a gyroscope-controlling member of a torpedo, and a single means for releasing said lock and for operating said last-named means.1

10. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit controller movable through the wall thereof and provided on its inner end with a contactor, and a member movably mounted on the inner end of said controller and in its movement adapted to move a gyroscope-controlling member of a torpedo.

11. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit con- 'troller movable through the wall thereof and provided on its inner end with a contact-or, yielding means acting upon said controller for holding it normally in its outward position,fmeans for locking said controller in its inward position, a member movably mounted on the inner end of said controller and in its movement adapted to operate a gyroscope-controlling member of a torpedo, and means for simultaneously releasing said locking means and for moving said last named movable member.

12. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes, of a circuit controller movable through the wall thereof and provided with a contactor adapted to close a circuit through the wall of a torpedo, yielding means acting upon said controller Jfor holding it normally in its outward opencircuit position, means for locking said controller in its inward position, a gyroscope releaser movably mounted on said controller,

means for simultaneously releasing said locking means and for moving said gyroscope copies of this patent may be obtained for releaser, and means for releasing said locksaid gyroscope releaser.

13. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes provided with an opening through its wall, a tubular casing borne by said tube within said opening, a rack secured to the outer end of and projecting within said casing, a circuit controller opening through its wall, a tubular casing borne by said tube within said opening, a cylindrical rack rotatably mounted in and projecting into said casing, said rack being provided with a latch-engaging detent, a circuit controller mounted for reciprocation within said casing, a pinion drive mechanism secured to said controller and engaging said rack, yielding means acting upon said coning means independently of the movement vof troller to hold it normally in outward posi- Y tion, and a latch secured to said controller and adapted to engage the detent formed onv said rack to hold the controller in its inward position, said latch being adapted to be released froin said detent by the rotation of said rack.

15. The combination with a launching tube for automobile torpedoes provided with an 'opening through its wall, a circuit controller movable through said opening and provided with a contactor, a reciprocatory gyroscope releaser carried by said controller, and pneumatically operated means for moving said releaser. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand.

HAROLD w. siioNNARD.

Witnesses Gno. V. JAMES, HERMAN C. ENGELMAN, Jr.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner vof Patenti.

Washington, D. G. 

